This paper combines precipitation and temperature data from weather stations located throughout
the Kenai Peninsula region of Alaska with trend testing to determine if there are significant
variations of these climate indicators with time. More precisely, these indicators are the mean
annual temperature (MAT), total annual precipitation, precipitation annual maximum, and
frequency of occurrence in heavy precipitation events. In order to determine what constitutes a
significant trend, statistical hypothesis testing with the Mann-Kendall trend test was used.
Overall, the tests showed increases in MAT, decreases in total precipitation, and no trend in
precipitation annual maximum or in frequency of heavy precipitation events. However, a
seasonal shift in these events from late summer to mid-autumn is present. The combination of
increasing temperatures and decreasing total precipitation may point towards the drying of
ecosystems, such as wetlands. This study provides background information for the further
analysis of social and environmental changes on the Kenai Peninsula within the framework of
the Alaska ACE (Alaska Adapting to Changing Environments) project.
Bauret, S., & Stuefer, S.L. (2013). Kenai Peninsula precipitation and air temperature trend analysis. Proceedings of the 19th International Northern Research Basins Symposium and Workshop, Southcentral Alaska, August 11-17, 2013, ppg. 35-44.
